Southern Lights: A Novel

“I’m sure she will,” he said kindly. Savannah was that kind of girl, to visit old ladies and keep them company. She had a warm heart. And both her father and grandmother knew it. So did Daisy, and her brothers. Only Luisa didn’t care. She had no heart at all. She had manipulated him to recoup him, and had tortured him ever since.

“I’m glad someone in this family wants to know our history. Luisa isn’t interested. She has her own. She has as many generals in her family as we do,” Eugenie said, looking miffed, and Tom fought not to laugh. His mother took those things very seriously, and always had. Even he had a little trouble with it sometimes. There were too many generals to count. And hearing about the battles and Confederate bravery and victories had bored him all his life. He was no history buff. His mother was.

Tom left his mother after that, and thanked Savannah that night for visiting her, and said that her grandmother had loved it and hoped she’d come back soon. Luisa overheard and snapped at them that Savannah shouldn’t disturb her, she was too delicate and old. Tom turned on her instantly and told her he wanted Savannah to visit his mother. Luisa sniffed and said not another word. When she had spoken to her that afternoon, her mother-in-law had said the same. The tides had turned, and Luisa didn’t like it one bit.

Savannah had told her mother about the visit, and the history lesson, and about Henry and his partner Jeff. She kept her abreast of the local news in their daily calls.

Her mother said she wasn’t surprised about Henry. He was never interested in girls once he hit puberty, although he was young then, only fourteen. She had had a question in her mind once or twice, but never dared broach it with Tom. He was so closed on the subject, and Savannah said he still was, they all were. She said that Luisa, his own mother, pretended Henry wasn’t gay. Alexa said she hoped he was happy, and would love to see him one of these days. She was coming back that weekend, and they were planning to stay at the Wentworth Mansion again. She’d made a reservation for the big suite.

“So am I going to meet that boy?” she asked about Turner, and Savannah grinned.

“Maybe. We’ll see. If he’s not busy. He has a game this weekend.”

“Maybe we can go. If you’re not ashamed of me.”

“You know I’m not. I’m really, really proud of you, Mom, and you know it.”

“I’m proud of you too, sweetheart,” her mother reassured her. And after they hung up, she went back to work with Sam and Jack Jones, and Savannah went to meet Turner for a walk before dinner, and a lot of kisses.

Daisy saw her come in afterward. She slipped in discreetly before dinner, and Daisy was on her way back from the kitchen with a snack.

“So?”

“So what?” Savannah asked innocently.

“Don’t give me that. I saw you leave with him. Is he cute? Did he kiss you?” Savannah decided to be honest with her little sister. She loved that idea, having a sister. And so did Daisy.

“He’s cute. And he kissed me.”

“Oh, yuk!!” Daisy said, running up the stairs. “How disgusting.” And then she leaned over the banister with another question. “Is he your boyfriend?”

“Nope.” Savannah shook her head, smiling. “Just a boy I like.”

“Too bad,” Daisy said, and scampered to her room, laughing all the way.

Chapter 14

This time when Alexa came to Charleston to see Savannah for the weekend, everything felt more familiar and comfortable for her. She didn’t have to go through the shock of reentry into a world she had once known and loved and lost. The second time the Wentworth Mansion felt like home to both of them, and Alexa even managed to be pleasant to Tom when she saw him when he dropped Savannah off. Alexa had relaxed, and he could see it. It made him brave enough to ask her if she would have lunch with him. She didn’t want to, and she didn’t want to miss a minute with Savannah, but she didn’t want to be rude to him either. He had helped her out in a major way with Savannah, and even risked Luisa’s fury. Alexa hesitated before she answered, but when she saw Savannah’s eyes pleading with her, she finally nodded and agreed to lunch with him.

“Not long, though,” she cautioned. “I want time with Savannah. I’m here for her.”

“Of course.”

Alexa had the feeling that he wanted to bury the hatchet, somewhere other than in her back this time, or her heart. She wasn’t ready for it yet, but she could almost conceive of being friends with him someday, not close friends, but civil ones, like at Savannah’s wedding, or college graduation. She assumed he had the same goal in mind. The cold war between them had gone on long enough. She was slowly getting over it at last.